In the current toxic environment surrounding [West Ham United](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-ham-v-crystal-palace-claret-and-hugh-predicts/), there’s very little ‘leaking out’ from official sources who are battered and bruised after the criticism that has been handed out by the media over the results on the pitch and the supporter protests off it. Something of a siege mentality exists, in stark comparison with the summer transfer window when ‘club spokesmen’ kept up a pretty near non-top commentary on bids, targets and offers.
However there are sources still very close to the club who get to hear what is going in inside ‘fortress’ London stadium. Reported today along those very lines, _hammers.news_ quote their ‘transfer source’ close to the club (which probably means a well-connected agent who works with the club) and make it clear that Graham Potter’s West Ham future is hanging by a thread.
Unlike the Julen Lopetegui death by a thousand cuts series of excruciating ‘must-win’ games that dragged on for months, Potter has an ultimatum for the Crystal Palace game:
_“We know he has Saturday’s game,”_ HammersNews’ source stated _“I am told Sullivan is very concerned by the fans’ reaction at the moment. It is more toxic than he ever had under David Moyes and Lopetegui. **Defeat and that’s it for Potter.** But I am told it won’t be a rollercoaster like both the previous managers, saving themselves with the odd win.”_
Which is a clear threat for Potter – lose and you’re out.
Welcome by just about every one of the four million West Ham fans worldwide who can see Potter’s lack of a plan, awful team selection and dreadful results, ranking worst in the league of Hammers Managers: and that takes some doing.
You’d suspect, then , this this is the reason for the ‘radio silence’ out of the club this week: Behind the scenes, the work is already being done to line up a replacement as is David Sullivan’s wont: All the ducks will be in row before the Palace game, enabling the West Ham board to fire the manager and at the same time, to throw Potter under the protester’s bus and hopefully – in their minds anyway – divert angry supporter attention away from their ‘anti BS’ agenda.